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Canyoneering

Canyoneering is the United States is currently (mostly) rated based on the system defined by the American Canyoneering
Association in the early 2000's. It is imprecise, and in my humble opinion, not well suited to the types of canyons generally
seen on the Colorado Plateau.

The Rating System

Lets look at an example rating:

Canyon XYZ: 3B II PG

The rating is broken up into 4 parts, the technical difficulty (3), the water level (B),
the time (II), and additionally a risk designation if needed (PG).

Technical Difficulty

Class 1 - Not technical. Think of this as a hike suitable for most. Should not have a risk designation.

Class 2 - No rope work needed, but may involve some scrambling. If this has an associated risk designation, falls or
slips may have serious consequence or be fatal.

Class 3 - Technical. This is the vast majority of canyons on the Colorado Plateau. This defines technical canyons
that will require rappelling and possible anchor skills.

Water Level

A - Completely dry.

B - Pools or water with no current. (Or very little.) This covers most canyons on the Colorado Plateau. A "B" canyon
may have a few small pools, or require swimming for long distances. Be sure to check the description to see how
much water is likely to be encountered and if a wetsuit is required. Some 3B canyons can be done without a wetsuit,
but many will require a wetsuit especially in cooler times of the year.

C - Canyons with flowing water. A good example of a "C" canyon would be Kolob in Zion. In most times of the year, it
is flowing and requires flowing
water skills. If you are not accustomed to flowing water canyons, get the skills before venturing into them, as
they require a different skill set than "A" or "B" canyons. Most "C" canyons require thick wetsuits to insulate from the cold
water exposure. All members of the group must be skilled. A stuck device or problem rappelling in a flowing water
canyon can quickly lead to drowning or death by exposure.

Time

The time designation is a rough guideline. On this site, a more specific hour range is used, and in the description,
specific time for the approach, canyon, and exit is generally used.

I - Short, a couple of hours for most groups.

II - About a half a day for most groups.

III - A full day for most groups.

IV - A long day. Bring a headlamp and avoid these in the shorter winter days.

V - More than a day, generally two days.

VI - Not frequently seen on the Colorado Plateau, these require 2+ full days.

Risk Designation

This is an important one, and helps refine the difficulties encountered. In the slots on Southern Utah, many involve
climbing, stemming, and squeezing above constrictions. The risk designation helps give a sense of the difficulty of the
climbing, and what the consequences of a fall would be. Be very wary of canyons with risk designations. Even in a
PG or PG-13 canyon, a fall very well may be fatal by the time a rescue is mounted. Any canyon with a risk designator requires
sound judgement. NOT SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS EVEN WITH COMPETENT LEADERSHIP.

PG or PG-13 - These are canyons with some climbing or other difficulties that may have
serious consequences, but are within most experienced canyoneers abilities.

R-, R, R+ - Dangerous consequences. Experts only. An R+ is harder than an R, which is
harder than an R-

X-, X, X+, XX, etc. - Very dangerous. Experts only, with solid skills. At this level, climbing
experience helps. Different people use the different X categories differently. Essential all X canyons require
expert level skills. Read the description for specific difficulties of a canyon.

Climbing Ratings

Some canyons will also include a climbing rating, for instance 3B II R 5.6. This (5.6 in the example)
is meant to denote technical climbing level needed using the Yosemite Decimal System.
Take this with a grain of salt. In my experience, the climbing rating in canyons
varies WIDELY, and is generally not reliable at all. One mans 5.6 is another mans 5.0, and yet another mans 5.10. The
movement is very different than climbing and often people specifying the rating don't have enough climbing experience to
properly rate the difficulties.

Escalante area is likely best known for its stunning backpacking opportunities. There are also plenty of hiking and canyoneering adventures. This makes a great spring and fall destination and would take a lifetime to fully explore.

Stretching almost 280 miles in length, averaging a mile deep, and 10 miles wide, perhaps calling it the big ditch is a little understated. To truly experience the canyon, you need to descend one of its side canyons, or hike one of the many trails that descends below the rim.

Canyoneering is king in North Wash, and likely the reason most visit. North Wash canyons tend to be short, narrow, and physical. This is the place to bring long sleeves and long pants. With easy access, next to the highway, this makes a good choice for groups.

The Roost is a very remote area of south eastern Utah. Canyoneering adventures in Robbers Roost tend to be fairly dry, and have long exits. The area was used in the late 1800's and early 1900's by outlaws, hence the name.

Nevada is a bit of a paradox. Home of the infamous Las Vegas, most of the states population resides in the Las Vegas or Reno areas. The rest of the state is very wild and rural. In fact, 67% of the land in the state is managed by the BLM.

The Wasatch Front offers excellent hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and skiing all within a short drive of Utah's major population centers. There are many peaks to hike, climbs to climb, and routes to ski.

Quite possibly the canyoneering capital in the US, Zion offers canyoneering, climbing, and hiking among towering sandstone walls. The park itself is a destination, but within a short distance of the park are many additional wonders to be visited.